Proportioner



Get. 29, 1940. R. R 1- AL 2,219,763

PROPORTIO NER Filed Feb. 21, 1958 INVENTORS ML TON R C 4E1. ro/vEase/27- H. CART/E2 Patented Oct. 29, 1940 PATENT OFFICE v PROPORTIONERRobert H. Cartier and Milton R. arnal,

San Francisco, Calif.

Application February 2 1 Claim.

Our invention relates to proportioners, and more particularly to aproportioner wherein the sole feeding forces are obtained by gravity.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a means forintroducing small quantities of material such as a chemical solution,for example, into a pipe line.

A further object of our invention is to provide such an apparatuswherein difierential pressure devices, such as Pitot tubes, venturies,etc., are unnecessary in the main pipe line.

Other objects of our invention will be apparent or will be specificallypointed out in the description forming a part of this specification, butwe do not limit ourselves to the embodiment of the invention hereindescribed, as various forms may be adopted within the scope of theclaims.

Our invention may be more fully understood by direct reference to thedrawing, which is a diagrammatic representation of one form of ourinvention, showing a preferred regulating valve partly in section.

We are aware that proportioners have been made heretofore, utilizingliquids such as oil, which are immiscible in either the material carriedin the pipe or with the solution to be fed to the pipe, and wherein oil,as a typical example of such a separated material, separates thesolution from the material in the pipe. Ordinarily the proportioners areapplied to water lines, and light oils are used to separate the water inthe pipe lines from the solution to be fed to the pipe lines. In suchprior devices, however, the pressures utilized for causing the solutionto be fed into the pipe have been developed by the use of some meanswhich creates a higher pressure on the intake side of the proportionerthan that on the outlet side, such difierential pressure being caused byPitot tubes, venturies, restricted valves, etc. We havefound, however,that we may utilize the force of gravity alone to cause material to befed to a pipe line, thus doing away with all differential pressuredevices in the pipe line itself.

In a simple form, our invention is shown in the drawing, and here aprimary tank I is connected at the bottom to a pipe line 2 through thecustomary valve3, check valve 4 and drain cock 5. The primary tank isprovided with the usual visual gauge glass 6.

The top of the primary tank I is provided with a preferably small outletpipe 1, and this may be in the form of copper tubing, the copper tubingleading directly to the lower gland 8 of a gauge glass of a secondarytank I placed above primary tank I. Between the lower gland 8 of gauge1, 1938, Serial No. 191,668 (01. 210-31) lass 9 and tank I ll is ashut-ofi valve II, and the upper end of gauge glass 9 enters an uppervalve l2, upper pipe l4 leading from valve l2 to the top of secondarytank In. The top of upper tank I0 is provided with an air release IS.

The lower part of secondary tank I0 is provided with a drain cock I6 anda delivery pipe I! leading directly to pipe line 2 through a shut-01fcock I 8. If there is a continuous-flow in pipe line 2, as there is inmany cases, no further apparatus is needed and no constriction or otherdifferential pressure valve is necessary between the water intake andthe delivery pipe IT.

We prefer to obtain our sole delivery pressure by positioning a body ofoil, or similar immiscible in either the liquid in the pipe line or thesolution and lighter than both, 20, in the primary tank I, and this oilis preferably lighter than water so that it will rise by gravity to thetop of tank I above water 2| coming in from pipe line 2. Solution 22, tobe fed to the line, is placed in the upper tank l0. Inasmuch as the topof primary tank I is connected to the top of secondary tank lo, the oilcontinues to rise and passes slowly through gauge glass 9 to the top ofsecondary tank Ill, displacing the solution therein and forcing itthrough the delivery tube l1 into pipe line 2. Various pressures may beobtained by varying the distance tank [0 is placed above tank I.

We have found that with all other pressures equalized, very littlepressure need be developed in order to force the solution from tank l0into pipe line 2. Furthermore, the oil 20 can be seen in gauge glass 9as it passes upwardly through the solution to join the oil in tank I0,and the delivery can be regulated, if desired, but at all times theglobules of oil passing through gauge glass 9 give visual indicationthat solution 22 is being fed to pipe line 2.

In case it is desired to feed the material to a pipe line having avariable flow, we may desire to use a flow regulating valve 25 in pipeline 2. This valve has an intake port 26 entering into an intake chamber21 in which a piston 28 operates, this piston, under normal conditions,partially closing outlet 29. The piston 28 is provided with an operatingrod 30 extending outside the valve connecting lever arms 3| and 32 to aneedle valve 33 placed in delivery line H. As water is drawn throughoutlet 34, piston 28 is pushed downwardly, due to the force of the waterpassing through the valve, thus opening needle valve 33 and allowing asolutionto flow into the outlet 34. Upon discontinuance of flow throughoutlet material 15 34, piston 28 is returned to its normal position bypiston spring 35.

In view of the fact that the delivery of solution is accomplishedirrespective of any pressure drop within valve 25, it is obvious thatdelivery pipe I! may enter the pipe line at any position, either aheadof or behind valve 25.

We claim:

A proportioner comprising in combination with a pipe line carrying aliquid and having substantially zero pressure drop between twopredetermined points, a primary tank, a connection from the bottom ofsaid primary tank to said pipe line at one of said predetermined points,a secondary tank placed completely above said primary tank, a connectionfrom the bottom of'said secondary tank to said pipe line at the other ofsaid predetermined points, a connection from the top of said primarytank to the top of said secondary tank, a liquid treating solution insaid secondary tank, a body of liquid in said tanks immiscible witheither said liquid in said pipe line or said solution and lighter thanboth, positioned to separate said solution from said liquid in said pipeline, the difierences in Weight being the sole force displacing saidsolution from said upper tank into said pipe line, a regulating valvepositioned in the connection between the bottom of said secondary tankand said pipe line, and means exposed to the flow in said pipe line tooperate said valve in accordance with the amount of flow in said pipeline.

ROBERT H. CARTIER.

MILTON R. CARLTON.

